Michelle is taking a stand!

You may have seen the recent headlines: Sitting is as bad for you as smoking. A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that adults who sat for more than six hours per day had up to a 40 percent greater risk of death over the next 15 years compared to those who sat for less than three hours a day.

Our very own Michelle Cunico Johnson, VP and Senior Hydrogeologist/Engineer, decided to do something about that. She switched to a standing desk, and she says she’s already noticed beneficial changes. “I’m more active throughout the day – pacing, fidgeting, stretching, and sometimes I’ll even do a few squats,” she says. Not to mention, her posture has improved and she’s better able to collaborate with her coworkers.

Michelle joins a long list of famous people who do their best work standing up. Among them: Mark Zuckerberg, Sir Winston Churchill, Leonardo Da Vinci, Ernest Hemmingway, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson.

Want to join them? Here are a few tips for reducing your sit time:

1) Set a calendar alarm every 45 minutes, reminding you to stand up, walk around the office, get a drink of water, or stretch. Bonus: Regular breaks boost your focus and creativity too.

2) Conduct status meetings standing around the conference table. You’ll be more efficient and active.

3) Consider switching to your own standing desk. Do some research and try out various models, or you can raise your existing desk to standing height with cinder blocks.